Dawn raids by India’s financial crime fighters have exposed a colossal coal smuggling syndicate operating between West Bengal and Delhi. The ED’s blitz targeted an intricate hawala apparatus allegedly washing billions in dirty coal money.
This crackdown follows months of surveillance on suspicious trucking patterns and offshore remittances. Insiders describe a mafia-style cartel controlling supply chains from collieries to urban markets, bypassing all duties and licenses.
Over 20 teams fanned out to execute search warrants, unearthing troves of evidence: burner phones, property deeds in benami names, and ledgers detailing hawala payouts. Cash seizures alone crossed Rs 10 crore mark.
Explosive claims point to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee orchestrating roadblocks to the ED inquiry. Allegations include orders to mining officials for data destruction and pressure on informants to recant statements.
The scandal revives memories of past coal scams that bled the economy dry. With digital trails leading to political war chests, ramifications could extend to electoral bonds and campaign financing.
Public outrage mounts as details emerge of how pilfered coal jacked up power tariffs for ordinary citizens. Banerjee’s camp cries political witch-hunt, but ED vows relentless pursuit. This saga tests the limits of federal probes in opposition-ruled states.